Zakynthos – the perfect family holiday

Zakynthos is one of those places that when you see it in person, it looks exactly how you pictured it to be. Pristine sandy beaches, fantastic weather, friendly locals and unrivalled natural beauty are just a few of the things you can look forward to if you visit this beautiful Greek island. For these reasons alone, the Greek islands are a firm favourite of ours and we think that Zakynthos has something just that extra bit special to offer families.

Now, I’ll hedge a guess that you probably have children of your own if you’re reading my blog. If you are anything like me, before you go anywhere this summer, you will want to know exactly what you’ll be getting, doing and seeing in order to plan ahead and have an unforgettable family holiday.

So with that in mind here are my top tips for planning your perfect family va-cay to Zakynthos.

Pin it – If you are all about the visuals then there’s no better preparation for a holiday than a good pinning session on Pinterest. Just by typing ‘Zaknythos’ into the search bar, you will be sure to find a wealth of information on places to visit, things to do, wear, eat and more besides. I defy you to do this and not want to get on the next plane! YouTube is also another favourite way of mine to explore potential holiday spots.

Choose a home away from home with a villa holiday. Yes, there are a ton of incredible hotels to choose from and yes you will have to do your own washing up but when you are holidaying with kids there is still no better option. I’ve written all about why I think a villa holiday is the perfect choice before on the blog so definitely check that out if you’re sitting on the fence. You can read it here. It’s safe to say though, that the freedom and flexibility that a villa will bring to your holiday in unrivalled. No more sitting in the bath drinking wine whilst the kiddo’s snooze in your hotel room! If you are looking for a villa then I’d highly reccomend having a look at James Villa’s. They have a beautiful, reliable and family-friendly range to choose from which you read all about here.

Decide on your must-see list before you go. Zakynthos is a place with something for everyone. You can find the big, bustling resorts on the Southern and Eastern coasts where there will be banana boats, action and entertainment galore. Equally if you are after a quieter, more tranquil family holiday then the West coast has you covered with its peaceful coves and white-washed villages. There is a wealth of information available online so plan out your must-see and do activities beforehand so that when you arrive you can just get on and enjoy your holiday.

Go with the flow. You can prepare as much as you like but we all know that holidays with children rarely follow the path expected. Prepare as much as you can and then sit back and let the holiday unfold around you. Get onto ‘Greece time’ as they like to call it, which means embracing a laid back way of living, soaking up the sun and not rushing anywhere ever. Sounds like absolute bliss.

This summer we are taking a little tour of the Greek Islands and will be sure to stop by a few of our favourite spots on Zakynthos with Sophie for the first time. I cannot wait to see what she makes of it all. Let’s hope she gets the memo about laid back living…

If you want to follow our adventures then I will be documenting them all over on my Instagram feed.

Let me know where you’re off to this summer and if you’ve been or are going to Zakynthos. I’d love to hear what you thought of it.